The Rebbe's Rambam | Marking the completion of the entire set

Hilchos Melachim | Ch 11

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437

mitzvos from their actual, simple understanding, this person is certainly a wicked person and a heretic. [129][130] And [131][132][133] [134] if a king from the house

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 is evident from his emphasis on the word “mitzvos,” and not “verses” or the like. Additionally, in the beginning of the next chapter, the Rambam himself states that many verses regarding Moshiach which suggest a change in the natural world order are not to be understood literally. 423 Likkutei Sichos vol. 34 pg. 118 & fn. 41 129. “And if a king from the house of David will arise” The Rambam’s language implies that Moshiach will be someone who lives among us, someone who is already a king — who will then arrive to redeem us. This is also compelled by the famous words of ani ma’amin , in which we say that we await Moshiach’s arrival every day; he can only arrive today if he was already born and matured. Notably however, this obviously cannot mean that Moshiach must have the full halachic status of a king prior to his revelation. This would entail appointment by the Sanhedrin and a prophet, 424 which is not possible during exile. Rather, he will have an unofficial status of king, in a manner similar to Bar Kochbah, who was called ‘king’ in the previous halachah, despite his not being formally appointed. Tazria-Metzora 5751. Sefer Hasichos vol. 2 pg. 496 fn. 66 Letter, 28 Nissan 5725 Likkutei Sichos vol. 8 pg. 361 fn. “ya’amod melech” 130. “And if a king from the house of David will arise” Why does the Rambam here, and throughout this chapter, specifically refrain from enumerating Moshiach’s great personal faculties? For example, as the Rambam himself described elsewhere in this work: 425 “The king who will arise from David’s descen dants will be a greater master of knowledge than Shlomo and a great prophet, close to the level of



Pardes Hamelech

Moshe Rabeinu”; 426 why are these facts not mentioned here? The explanation: In this chapter, the Rambam is not merely relating facts about the future; he is presenting the halachic definition of Moshiach: a time when the Torah and mitzvos will be performed in the most complete man ner [as explained in Segment 98 above]. Accordingly, it is self understod that this is not the place to discuss the personal qualities of Moshiach, which have no bearing on this primary function. Likkutei Sichos vol. 18 pg. 276 & fn. 29 131. “If a king . . . will arise who . . . compels all of the Jewish people . . . fights the battles . . . builds the Holy Temple . . . and gathers the dispersed” The Rambam here is describing the function of Moshiach as king. Elsewhere, the Rambam discusses his function as a great teacher: “that king who will arise from among the descendants of David, will be greater in wisdom than Shlomo . . . he will therefore teach all the people and instruct them…” 427 These two functions are of different nature: a king must be above the nation, while a teacher must be relatable, to ensure that the students are absorbing the material properly. This explains the two distinct expres sions for Moshiach in the verses; he is called both a “king upon them,” as well as a “leader for them.” 428 This also explains why the Talmud maintains that there will be two Moshiachs, who will serve like a “caesar and half caesar”: 429 this refers not to two separate individuals who will both serve as Moshiach, but rather to the two functions which Moshiach will serve; 430 his function as a king will be as a “caesar,” while his function as a teacher will be less exalted above the nation, “half caesar.” This approach also clarifies why the Talmud specif ically chooses the expression of “caesar”:

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.428 .äë¯ãë ,æì ìà÷æçé .429 .á"òñ ,çö ïéøãäðñ .430 .íù ïéøãäðñ ì"øäî úåãâà éùåãéç æ"ãò äàø

.426 ìåãâ ãàî ìåãâ àéáð çéùîäù :(çôà÷ é"øä íåâøú) ã"ôø ïîéú úøâàá íé÷åñôä úåâøãá äîøä àéä éøä åúåìòî .. åðéáø äùî éøçà íéàéáðä ìëî